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Student Natalie Dylan Auctions Off Her Own Virginity

The Daily Telegraph reports that Natalie Dylan, a 22-year-old psychology student in San Diego, is holding an auction for her virginity:

Natalie Dylan, 22, claims her offer of a one-night stand has persuaded 10,000 men to bid for sex with her. Last September, when her auction came to light, she had received bids up to £162,000 ($243,000) but since then interest in her has rocketed.

The student who has a degree in Women’s Studies insisted she was not demeaning herself. Miss Dylan, from San Diego, California, USA, said she was persuaded to offer herself to the highest bidder after her sister Avia, 23, paid for her own degree after working as a prostitute for three weeks.

Miss Dylan said she did not think it was particularly significant to be willing to sell your virginity and insisted that she was happy to undergo medical tests for any doubters. She said: “I get some men who are obviously looking for a girlfriend but I try and make it clear that this is a one-night-only offer.

“I know that a lot of people will condemn me for this because it’s so taboo but I really don’t have a problem with that. My study is completely authentic in that I truly am auctioning my virginity but I am not being sold into this. I’m not being taken advantage of in any way.

The world’s oldest profession continues to work quite well for people, as Natalie evidences. Her bid is rumored to be up to $3.7 million now.

In instances like this–similarities between Paris Hilton’s porn videos and other Internet femmesations come to mind–morals take a clear backseat to wealth and notoriety. In fact, our society has learned to value the latter two so highly that morals are an implicit assumption of fame and wealth. We don’t think about how people amassed their fortunes so much as the fact that they amassed them in the first place. We’re dazzled by sensationalism, and willing to pay the price for it, in more ways than one.

If the usual patterns hold up, Natalie should get her own TV show or book deal soon. Her auction will “make” her. Sad.